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watching them intently. "I think they're thinking you're just
insane. You shouldn't be laughing."
    He chuckled again. "Well there is that, too."
    She rolled her eyes and nodded in the direction of the
quiet man in the corner. "I see he's not in your circle of friends. He a
problem or what?"
    "Observant." He made a slight face. "Not
a problem really."
    "Then what?"
    "He was one of a number of visiting princes. Bo
remembers seeing him around the castle."
    She looked over at the man again, her curiosity
piqued. "A prince? Prince of where?"
    "No idea. We asked and he wasn't telling. Won't
give his name either. So we're just calling him Prince."
    "He must love that."
    "He didn't look too impressed." Kendric
agreed with a smirk. Soldiers and nobility never got along. "I see where
he's coming from though. If the slavers knew, it could be troublesome for him
or his people."
    "Hmm," she replied, not really having any
idea exactly what trouble that would be, but not wanting to show her ignorance.
"So is he in on your plans of escape?"
    He raised his eyebrows. "What makes you think I've
got some?"
    "Well if you don't yet then you're an idiot."
    He chuckled. "You got me there. He's in. He's
just not participating overly much now. In a bit of rough shape."
    She looked over at the man, Prince, again. "Well,
I'm in on whatever you're doing."
    "Aro…"
    She glared up at him. "You aren't leaving me
behind!"
    Her words obviously shocked him. "Of course not!"
He grimaced. "I owe your brothers, if nothing else."
    "You know I can fight," she said quietly. "I'll
be doing so no matter what you say, so you might as well give me something to
do."
    He glowered at her, she glared back. He snorted. "Fine."
    She grinned and sat back, tucking what remained of her
hair behind her ears.
    Shaking his head, Kendric looked over at her. Suddenly
he lunged at her, raking his fingers through her hair until it covered her face
again. "Rot it, Aro! Don't be doing that!" He shook his head again at
her shocked look. "You don't look that much like a boy," he
whispered.
    Her cheeks grew warm in embarrassment. "Sorry."
    "Well, back to planning. You coming?"
    She looked at the group of strange men. "Do they
know? About me?"
    He glanced at them. "No. I'm thinking it'd be
best to keep this up as long as we can. Safer that way."
    His comment worried her. Did he not trust them not to
hurt her? "If you think so." She looked over at Prince again. "I
think I'll see what's ailing his royalness." Kendric raised his eyebrows
and she made a face and leaned back again. "In a little bit. When I build
up my nerve. And don't feel like throwing up."
    "You'll get used to it."
    "I doubt it," she muttered. "Anyone
else hurt?"
    "Nothing serious. How's your head? You've been
out for a while."
    She raised her hand and rubbed at crumbling dried
blood in her matted hair. "I don't think it's too bad. It's not opened up
again."
    "Good. Get some rest." She nodded and he
moved back to the other men she didn't know.
    She grimaced. She didn't want to think about meeting
them all. Their stares were bad enough. She didn't know if she could succeed in
acting like a boy .
    "What's with the boy?"
    "He's good. Just right now he's feeling a bit
shy, and sea sick. This isn't easy on a young boy." The others nodded
solemnly and looked over at her.
    She put her forehead on her knees again. She was
definitely going to hurt him. The ship lurched again and her stomach twisted. "Uh."
Yes. As soon as she didn't feel like dying.

Chapter 3
    Meeting a Prince
     
     
    The sea calmed at some point. Being trapped in a ship
made it hard to tell the time of day. The cell's location at the back of the
ship didn't help either. Outside the bars she could see the small hatch that
let in light part of the day, and an occasional wash of sea water.
    The men kept up their quiet chatter. The one in the
corner remained still and quiet. She frowned as she watched him. Kendric said
he was in rough shape. She assumed he'd been injured